Stair construction



Dec. 7, 1954 i c, J, RYLAND 2,696,027

STAIR CONSTRUCTIQN Filed NOV. 1'7, 1950 V II T T INVENTOR.

Columbus J Ry/ana' BY 1 construction.

.This invention relatesto a new and improved start his common knowledge that; yearly many accidents occur-by persons; fallingtdownpoorly or dimly lighted. Stairways. Occasionally,- portions of the stair treads and/or risers are painted white to more clearly delineate them, and,moreo-ver, some attempts have heretofore been made to paintstainportions with phosphorescent or fluorescent materials-which.fluorescelight in darkness -=or semi-darkness. -A-common disadvantage attendant-withthe employment of any of theseamethods of .ma-rkingistairs is that, .after thestairszhave been subjected to considerable. use, the markings tend to. scuff and wear off and therebyabecome, practically worthless :in so far aslmakingithe stairs safer foruse.

The present invention, which .will bedescribed. hereinafter in moredetail, contemplates the employment, in

novel fashion, of strips of material selected. from a class of materials of the type-characterized. byv theirs'ab hty .to' pipe light from alight absorption surface to-a llght diffusion surface. More, particularly, ithasbeen determined that.materials,- such as.polymethylmethacrylate and polyethylmethacrylate, for example, possess to a ..high degree. light. piping :characteristics. -Materials of this v latter. type are more commonly known by their commercial or tradetnames, as for example, Lucite .and/or Plexiglas.

These. materials have an. extremely. high indexof: refraction whichaccounts; princlpally for their. ability to pipe light from one areanto. anoth- .er. A stripyof one of. these -materials-will absorb light -..through.any ofits surfaces which are highly polished and a large proportion of the". lightsoabsorbed-will be .-piped to roughened areas of the-material -whereat .the light -is:.diifused. H111 OtheI WOIdSg it iScChBIaCWIIStE. of 1 strips of such materialvto pipe light. from ..a-r'smooth polished surface to a roughened surface where.the'light so piped is dispersedv or. diffused =in -.the..form of. an i1 luminating glow. vAs will= appeanmore .fullyhereinafter,

the light piping characteristics of such materialshave especial-utility in stair constructions of the :typenherem ..illustrated and to be described-hereinafter.insome specific .detail.

For purposes of. clarity .-and brevity, materialssuch as polymethylmethacrylateand/orpolyethylmethacrylate and/or similar materials which have a pronounced ability toupipe: light from. one areato ..another--w1ll sometimes hereinafter be referred to as light piping-.materials.

A stair construction embodying the present invention, comprises, generally,.in combination witha stair tread, a strip of light piping materialsecured adjacent the outer edge of the stair tread and-in such manner that the .light diifusion surface of the strip is disposed substantially. flush and coplanar withuthe top; surface of ithe tread-.and so that the lightwabs'orptionr area of the strip vis disposed beneath ather 'top 'surface I of the stair..-tread. Thus, light will enteruthe strip -of-material; beneath the stair tread and be; piped upwardly: to

the lightszdiifusion surface whereatmit will diffuse? and illuminate the stair. along theoutenedge of the tread.

Preferably a stair nose is'provid'ed-along the outside edge of: the strip of light piping:material and 'theutread ".to; protect-the strip along its :outerpportions.

A principal object, therefore, of the presentwinvention is to provide a stair construction of the type hereinabove briefly mentioned which incorporates a strip of light piping material adapted to diffuse light along and adjacent each tread of a stairway.

Another object of the present invention is to provide United States Patent ethylmethacrylate .and/ or similar :materials.

Other objects of the.-present invention will become apparent. upon reading .the': followingcspecification and referring to the accompanyingdrawings. in-which.:similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

vIn the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a stair construction embodying. the present. invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentarytop plan view. of. amodified stair construction embodying'the present invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates how-the present invention may be employed in association with a conventional wooden stair construction.

Fig. 4 illustrates .howthe present invention. may be employed in association with a conventional prefabricated metal and concrete stair construction.

Fig. 5 illustrates how the present invention may be employed in association witha conventional .cast iron stair construction.

Fig. 6 illustrates'how the present. invention maybe employed in association with a conventional solid .con-

- comprises a stair tread10 which is supported at its outer between nose 12 elongated stripintervals between edge by a riser 11. A conventional nose-strip 12 is secured by screws or" nails or'the like, such as.v indicated at 13, to the outer edge 14 of the stair tread.

*In' the embodiment of' the invention illustrated. in Fig 3 a strip of light piping material 16 possessing the property characteristics hereinabove defined is disposed and outer edge 14 of the tread. The light plping material 16 may either comprise a single extending substantially the full length (as indicated in Fig. l) or it may comof shorterstrips interposed at spaced the stair nose and the outer edge of the'tread in accordance with the arrangement illustrated in Fig. '2. It is'readily understandable that the'conof the stair tread prise a plurality struction in eithercase is substantially the same-the only;d1fference belng 1n the particular formations of the nose 'strips employed each-respectivearrangement. More specifically, if a single elongate strip of light piping material isremployed, the stair noseis preferably formed "Wll'h two inwardly extending end flanges 17 to establish :a protective housing around said strip. On the other hand,-.1f thearrangement of Fig. 2 is followed, the stair in cross-section, and the lower portion of strip. The bottom outside edge of each verably bevelled, suchas indicated-ah 19, rmore 'efiiclent'llght absorption area or surface.

nose strips are cut-outs 18 to preferably? formed with a-plur'ality of individually receive in nested relationship an associated short length of material 16.

Each strlp of material 16 is substantially rectangular each strip depends well below the bottom edge of its associated nose strip is' prefto provide a As'heretofore explained, a strip of light piping-material of the type heremabove mentionedtends to absorb light through its highly polishedsurfaces and to diffuse light 'tion, all exposed surfaces of each through its roughened surfaces. Inthe present construcstrip 16 are highly polished except the very top edge or surfaceZll thereof which is roughenedin order to provide-a light diffusion area dlSPOSCd. along and substantially flush with' the top surface 22 otthe'tread. it-is'obvious thatthe location andpositio'ning of strip 16 is such that only its top edge 21. is likely to receive any-hard wear by being-walkedupon or scuffed and that the polished surfaces of the strip are positioned and located out of the way of actual traffic. Moreover, in

view. of. the fact :that .top. edge 21-'of "the strip is "roughened initially to establish a suitable light diffusion surface, the scuffing which it may receive through heavy and prolonged traflic thereover will in no way affect its efficiency as an illuminating means. In short, unlike conventional paints or other conventional phosphorescent or luminescent materials which have a tendency to rub off-- fabricated metal member 30 with a concrete fill 31 providing the actual stair tread. Metal risers of the type indicated at 32 are also conventional in this type of stair construction. Fig. 4 also illustrates how the present invention may be employed in association and in combination with stair constructions of this latter type. More particularly, a strip of light piping material 16a may be disposed between the outer edge of the metal tread member and a nose strip 33 which serves to clamp the light piping material firmly in position. The nose strip can be secured by screw bolts 34 to the metal tread member by providing a suitable female threaded anchoring band or plate 3411 on the inner face of said metal tread member. In actual construction, the band 34 may be spot-welded to the inner face of the metal tread member at desired intervals (in alignment with suitably formed bolt holes in the tread member) prior to the time that concrete tread is poured. Thereafter, the light piping strip and nose-strip may be installed by threading the screw bolts into the anchoring band from the outside.

Fig. is illustrative of the more or less conventional cast iron stairway construction which consists of an integral piece of cast iron defining a tread portion 40 and a riser 41. The outer edge of the tread member 40 may be tapped to receive bolts such as screw bolt 42 which, of course, is adapted to secure nose strip 43 and light piping strip 161; into position substantially in the same manner as described with respect to the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 shows how the present invention including light piping strip 16a is adapted for use in association with substantially solid concrete stairs. In this type of construction a metal anchoring strip 50 is preferably embedded in the cement at the time that the cement is poured into the forms. The anchoring strip 50 is tapped to threadedly receive screw bolts, such as indicated at 51, which in turn are provided to secure the nose strip 52 and light piping strip 16c adjacent the outer edge of the stair tread.

From the foregoing illustrations and examples on how the present invention may be employed in combination with more or less conventional type stair constructions,

it is seen that each adaptation of the invention to the various types of stair construction follows generally the same principles of construction, assembly and installation. More particularly, in each case the strip (or a plurality of strips as the case may be) of light piping material is disposed between the outer edge of a stair tread and a nose strip secured thereto, and, in such manner that the roughened light diffusion surface of the light piping strip extends along the outer edge of the tread substantially coplanar with the top surface of said tread. The exposed polished surfaces of the strip of light piping material located below the top surface of the tread will absorb light from any source of illumination in the area and diffuse it along the outer edge of a tread. In dimly lighted stair- Ways, for example, light reflected from the ceilings and walls of the building will be absorbed through the exposed polished surfaces of the material and be transmitted to the top roughened edge of the strip of material for diffusion and increased illumination along the outer edge of the tread. From the foregoing, it is believed obvious that the present invention may be employed to excellent advantage in association with any number of types of stair constructions and in any number of places such as theatres, arenas, apartment buildings and the like.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A stair construction comprising in combination with a stair tread and supporting riser, a strip of material selected from a class of materials of the type having a pronounced ability to pipe light from a light absorption polished surface to a light diffusing roughened surface thereof, said strip secured adjacent the outer edge of said stair tread exteriorly of the riser and with the light diffusion roughened surface of said strip disposed substantially coplanar with the top surface of said tread and with the light absorption polished surface of said strip disposed below the top surface of said tread.

2. A stair construction comprising in combination with a stair tread and supporting riser, a stair nose secured adjacent the outer edge of said tread, a strip of material selected from a class of materials of the type having a pronounced ability to pipe light from a light absorpti n polished surface to a light diffusion roughened surfa e thereof, said strip disposed between said stair nose and the outer edge of said tread exteriorly of the riser and with the light diffusion roughened surface of said strip disposed substantially coplanar with the top surface of said tread, and with the exposed light absorption polished surface of saiddmaterial being disposed below the top surface of said trea 3. A stair construction comprising in combination with a stair tread and supporting riser, a stair nose secured to the outer edge of said tread, a strip of material selected from a class of materials having a pronounced ability to pipe light from a highly polished surface to a roughened surface for light diffusion disposed exteriorly of the riser between said stair nose and the outer edge of said tread, the top edge of said material being roughened and disposed substantially coplanar with the top surface of said tread, a portion of said strip depending below said stair nose, exposed surfaces of said depending portion of said strip being highly polished to absorb and pipe light to the roughened top edge of said strip.

4. A stair construction comprising in combination with a stair tread and supporting riser, a stair nose secured to said tread along the outer edge thereof, a strip of material selected from a class of materials having a pronounced ability to pipe light from a highly polished surface to a roughened surface for light diffusion, said strip being substantially rectangular in cross-section and disposed exteriorly of the riser between said stair nose and the outer edge of said tread, the top edge of said strip being roughened and disposed substantially flush with the top surface of said tread to establish a light diffusion surface proximate the outer edge of said tread, a portion of said strip depending below said stair nose with its inner surface abutting flush against said riser, the exposed surfaces of said depending portion of said strip being highly polished to absorb and pipe light to said roughened top edge of said strip.

5. A stair construction according to claim 4 and wherein saiddstrip extends substantially the entire length of said trea 6. A stair construction according to claim 4 and wherein a plurality of similarly formed strips of material are provided at spaced intervals along the top edge of said tread between said tread and said stair nose.

7. A stair construction according to claim 4 and wherein the bottom outer edge of the depending portion of said strip is bevelled to form an inclined polished light absorption surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 361,983 Brown Apr. 26, 1887 1,468,763 Temple et a1 Sept. 25, 1923 2,232,023 Flocks Feb. 18, 1941 2,301,768 Wolf Nov. 10, 1942 2,561,756 Shook July 24, 1951 2,595,973 Neugass May 6, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 154,399 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1920 381,016 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1932 

